Geneva's Patten House becoming a restaurant

The Patten House, at 124 S. 2nd St. in Geneva, will be turned into a restaurant. (Alexa Aguilar, for the Chicago Tribune)

A house built in 1857 for a Geneva lumber man has been given new life as a restaurant and lounge set to open in coming months.

The Patten House, named for George Patten, has been transformed from a historical home in need of a major overhaul to a multi-level restaurant with expansive patios and multiple dining rooms.

At the heart of the project is Nancy Luyten, a St. Charles resident with previous experience running a nightclub. She had been interested in opening a restaurant, she said, but only if the spot was right.

"I had a vision about this place from the beginning," she said as more than a dozen contractors refinished the original floorsand painted.

Luyten purchased the property at 124 S. 2nd St., in March 2013 for $400,000, according to online records. Her crews began excavating an in-ground pool and tearing out much of the overgrown landscape last summer, but the property's historic status meant months of historic preservation and city council meetings before the work began in earnest in the fall.

Last week, the city council, acting as a committee of the whole, granted The Patten House a liquor license and changed parking rules for the street in front of the restaurant to allow for three-hour parking.

Inside, the restaurant is beginning to take shape. Luyten said the interior and exterior needed a complete overhaul, including a new roof, new chimney for the substantial fireplaces, and new electrical and plumbing. The outdated rooms now feature smoky gray moldings, a granite bar and new windows. Outside, paver patios take the place of the old lawn and pool.

Luyten said the menu will include lunch and dinner and have a light New Orleans flair with bars inside and out. She envisions a place where visitors can host meetings and gatherings, and diners will stop in with friends for a cocktail or dinner. The restaurant could host an event in its three upstairs dining rooms for about 75-100, she said.

As the finishing touches are placed on the interior, she will begin to switch from her general contractor role to that of a restaurant manger and begin hiring and training, she said. Though she had hoped for an earlier opening date, she has no desire to rush it.

"I have been wearing a lot of hats," she said. "I'm looking forward to just wearing one again."

Mayor Kevin Burns said that the city is excited about the opportunity that the Patten House will bring to Second Street to draw visitors and residents east from Third Street. The city now operates a public parking lot just west of the property and has begun construction on creating a "pedestrian mall" out of the alley leading from that lot to Third Street.

"Nancy's tireless efforts to return Mr. Patten's home to its original glory has already added excitement and curiosity to downtown," Burns said. "Once the doors are open for business, that enthusiasm will transform the area in a very positive way."